By Stuart Powell
In Ezekiel 6, God declared his judgment against the unfaithful in Judah who were not carried off in the first wave of exiles. He did this because they persisted in their rebellion. Still, he noted a remnant would be spared. Listen as God explained to Ezekiel the purpose he intended for them.
โBut I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember meโhow I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on themโ (Ezekiel 6:8-10).
We often ponder the impact of our sinful choices on our lives and spirits, but do we consider the impact of our sin on God? God doesnโt depend on any of us, but he desires our companionship. Our sin breaks the fellowship God longs to have with every person. God is devoted to every person, so our sins deliver a blow to our Creatorโs heart.
When we hurt another person, we often see the the reaction firsthand. We frequently repent after witnessing the bitter fruit our sin produces. How does God express pain when we hurt him? How does he respond to our rebellion? We donโt see his tears or hear his groaning. The world, in fact, witnessed the crushing effects of our sin on God at only one point in historyโJesusโ cross. It was at that cross where Godโs Son paid the ransom for all of humanityโs sin, and it is where fellowship with sinful believers was fully restored.
As Christians, we are called to relive that moment when the pain of our sin fully engulfed God in the flesh. We eat the bread to remember Jesusโ body that bore our sin. We drink from the cup and taste the life blood poured out for the salvation of any who surrender to Godโs grace.
Stuart Powell lives outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, where he serves with the North Side Christian Church.
Author: Christian Standard
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